Harry woke the next morning to a soft tapping on the window of his new bedroom. His room! Harry could hardly believe that he was here living with Sirius. After their conversation, the other night he was feeling a lot better about where things were between them. As he opened up the window the beautiful Eagle Owl swooped in and landed on the desk sticking out her leg for Harry to remove a letter and parcel. Harry quickly removed the package and letter and began to read the letter.
Potter,
I do have a couple of books that might be helpful. I can't believe that no one took the time to go over the basics with you. That would totally explain your performance in class. The books in the parcel go over what the different preparation methods are, and how to proceed. They also go into how to properly care for your potion's equipment. Trust me I noticed that you don't take care of yours. You also frankly bought the cheapest of everything, which can have an impact on your potion. The better the quality of ingredients and tools, the more likely that the potions quality will be high quality. The technique is also key. Make sure that you grind, dice and chop properly and don't do the opposite of what is called for. You should make sure that you prepare the ingredients in a manner that makes them fine.
I also included a couple of treacle tarts for snacking as you study. I have noticed that they are your favorite.
-Shadow
Harry opened the package and as the letter explained inside the package were a couple of books on potions and two treacle tarts. His day was off to a great start. He took out his parchment, ink and quill and began his reply.
Shadow,
Thank you for sending the books and the treacle tarts. You are correct that those are my favorite. I would gladly find a way to return the favor if I knew how. For now, all I can really do is say thank you. I am not sure if you know that I was raised in the muggle world and so I didn't know any other wizards or witches until I got my letter on my eleventh birthday.
What is your favorite subject at Hogwarts? My godfather says that I should have taken Runes and Arithmancy? Yet no one said anything to me about it until now. I can't really blame him because we only got in touch after my third year. Do you take either of those at Hogwarts?
-H.J.P.
Just as Harry tied the letter onto the beautiful birds leg to take in reply to shadow, Harry heard a knock at his door, "You up Prongslet? Breakfast should be ready in the kitchen shortly."
After breakfast Harry and Sirius went through the Black library and Sirus marked all the books that he didn't want Harry to touch. They spent some time talking about what had happened so far over the summer with Sirius, which turned out to be not much. Sirus just shook his head, "I feel useless pup. All that I really have been allowed to do is host meetings for the order and the more I hear of how much Albus has been controlling your life I am liking it less and less. We can't even seem to come to full agreement on things among the order." They spent what remained of the day reading with Harry asking the occasional question.
Later that night there was an order meeting. Mrs, Weasley insisted, "Harry Dear, we need to get started so be a dear and head up to your room." Harry opened his mouth to reply, but before he could Sirius cut him off, "Molly, you're not his mother. Harry is my godson, and this is his home. He can stay if he wants." Only to be cut off by Dumbledore, "Sirius, Molly is right in this instance. He needs to go upstairs he can come down afterwards, Harry isn't James no matter how much he may look like him." Harry left and went stomping up to the room that was now his.
Needing a distraction Harry turned his attention to working on his new room. He decided to practice the color switching charm. He changed the color of the walls to blue a tone that he found soothing, Then, he changed the color of the comforter on the top of his bed and did a soft silver tone and decided that the sheets should be a matching blue to the walls. He then moved on to the bathroom and changed the walls in there to a soft muted gray with the counter and shower tiles matching. He then changed the towels to a soft blue. Deciding that he needed the mirror to be a little larger he practiced the expansion charm until it was the size that he thought would be helpful for him.
Leaving the bathroom, Harry began taking stock of his clothes and supplies towards the school year. He was pleasantly surprised by the tapping of the beautiful golden Eagle Owl returning. He opened the window and allowed her in. He took the letter from her and began to read.
Potter,
I overheard talk last night between my father and a few of his associates. The ministry is doing all of their work for them. So, for a while they will be laying low and plotting, this gives them plenty of time to recruit and plan. With the ministry sticking their heads in the sand people are completely unaware of what is coming. You'll have to watch out at Hogwarts though apparently the teacher for DADA this year is some ministry flacky the Minister of Magic himself is appointing to track the goings on in the school.
My favorite subject in school is runes and arithmancy, but I am good at potions and the other core subjects. Your godfather is right someone should have directed you to those classes rather than Divination. Would you like to borrow the text from third year. I'm revising the fourth year one myself or I would offer that you could borrow both?
-Shadow
Harry considered his response for a moment and began to think over the letter and consider once more who shadow might actually be. He now knew that shadow was in Slytherin house for sure, and their father was a death eater. Shadow was also smart, and academically inclined. That narrowed some of the candidates, but still left a few. Harry pulled out parchment, ink and quill and took the time to write more neatly.
Shadow,
I now have more time to write, read and revise. I am grateful for that as I am now in a location that is safer than where I was at previously. I think at this point you can feel free to call me Harry. You're the only one who seems to want to reach out to me right now. So, you can have that privilege. I would like to borrow the third-year textbook and once you're finished the fourth-year textbook as well, please.
-HJP
Soon Sirius was calling him downstairs. The members of the order were slowly making their way home, all but Remus, McGonagall and Dumbledore were now out of the kitchen. "Professor McGonagall, I understand if the answer is no, but I have asked to borrow a third and fourth year set of runes and arithmancy texts and would like to drop divination and take those instead. I am willing to take my OWL privately later on those and sit if needed with the third years."
The stern professor looked at him and smiled, "Very well, Mr. Potter I will see what Professors Babbling and Vector say about that. They might ask you to take a placement test to see how well you self-study." Harry wasn't sure but he thought Professor McGonagall actually smiled as she turned to floo back to the school. As Kreacher brought them dinner, they ate quietly with Sirius muttering, "She should have told you not to take that droughted subject in the first place."
Once dinner was done Harry excused himself to get ready for bed as it was getting late.
Returning to his room Harry allowed himself to luxuriate in another pleasant shower with the products that he found that he really liked, after drying off and getting into pajamas he returned to his previous project of evaluating what he needed. He also began to create a list of extra things that it was time to invest in like new clothes. He also wanted to ask Sirius about getting a haircut.
Before allowing himself to glory in his new bed that was even more comfortable than the one he had at Hogwarts he took the time to write his only correspondent at current.
Shadow,
I was considering now that I am in a little different living situation I want to get some clothes that actually fit well. Where would be an advisable to place to order clothes from for everyday?
-HJP
